Explanation Of Botanical Words

Although I do not pretend to put this forth as a "Botanical work," I

deem it necessary that I should make use of certain words in application

to forming the different parts of a flower; I shall give an explanation

of such botanical words as I must occasionally make use of in the course

of my instructions.



COROLLA signifies a flower deprived of its centre. For example: the

corolla of a rhododendron falls f om its position, leaving the interior

of the flower pendent to the stem. The convolvulus has a funnel-shaped

corolla.



PETAL. This is part of the corolla, and what is termed, by the

uninformed--leaf; for instance, we hear of drying rose leaves, when in

fact it is the petals that are alluded to. The term leaf should only be

applied to the foliage.



PISTIL, or PISTILLUM, is that part of a flower which projects directly

from the centre, and is longer than the rest; we observe it in the white

lily, fuchsia, honeysuckle, etc. The enlargement at the end of the

pistil is termed stigma.



STAMENS, or STAMINA, signify the filaments that surround the pistil; and

the enlarged part at the end of each filament is called anther.



FARINA is the fine dust which is contained in the anther, and which

shows itself also outside.



CALYX is applied to the green attached to the flower. For example: the

part that is covered with moss about the rose is the calyx. Sometimes

the calyx is covered with down, as in geranium, primrose, etc.



STIGMA. The enlargement at the end of the pistillum.